


Tell Me You Lived

by thenaughtypixie



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, M/M, Merthur - Freeform, Modern, Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:26:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25808086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenaughtypixie/pseuds/thenaughtypixie
Summary: A oneshot depicting how Arthur reacts finding out how long Merlin has waited for him.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 135





	Tell Me You Lived

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy reading :) All mistakes are mine.
> 
> One day I will write a multi-chaptered Merlin story but today is not that day.

“Tell me you lived?” Arthur said in a cracked voice.

Merlin hesitated, his eyes betraying the truth. Arthur’s gaze stayed fixed on Merlin, tears forming quickly.  
Merlin gulped and spoke quietly, “I never left your side.”

Time froze. They looked at each other for the longest moment. 

All Arthur could eventually choke out was “Why?” But in his heart he already knew the words that were about to linger in the air.

“I didn’t want you to feel that you were alone.” 

Arthur felt the force of a thousand battles hit him square in the chest. He couldn’t take it in, every fibre of him refused to believe that this was real, that Merlin had waited…it was too much. 

“I…I have to…,” Arthur turned away and stumbled over to the couch and flopped down, head in his hands. All Merlin could do was watch, helpless.

It had only been a few hours since Arthur had returned, the magic tingled subtly in the air, though otherwise it had been an ordinary day. Seeing how badly Arthur was affected, Merlin didn’t dare tell him anymore yet. But that choice was going to be stripped away from him.

Arthur was still holding his head in his hands, leaning forward when he mumbled, “How long? It must be…I mean I saw…” his voice trailed off as Merlin recalled how afraid Arthur had been when he had seen a car speed past them as Merlin was trying to get him safely home.

“How long, Merlin?”

Merlin swallowed, staying glued to the spot. “Does it matter?” he responded quietly.

Arthur furrowed his brow, his face contorting and he whispered, “Of course it matters…” He sat up, revealing his face once more and looked straight at Merlin. “I want to know” he said firmly, his eyes now swimming with unshed tears.

Merlin turned away, his own tears falling. He said softly, “It doesn’t matter now, you’re here.”  
“It matters to me”, said Arthur quickly jumping up from the couch and walking to Merlin. He took his arm to turn him round.

Merlin resisted. “Look at me” Arthur said. Merlin kept his head down, still half turned away. “Look at me!” Arthur implored, though gently.

Merlin turned to face him. They were so close. Arthur thought that he could see every weary lonely day in Merlin’s eyes.

They stayed facing each other for what seemed like a long while, Arthur being patient but resolute. He wanted an answer.

“I’m…”Merlin began to speak. Arthur didn’t take his eyes from Merlin’s once. “My magic…I’m…like the Fisher King.”

Arthur felt a jolt as he remembered his quest to the perilous lands and the sad story of the king who lived for hundreds of years, alone, defeated and miserable.

Arthur could barely contain his pain, “You’re s-ssa-aying..it’s been…you’re what…hundreds of years…” his voice trailed away, it felt unreal.

But Merlin looked away and walked towards the other side of the room. Arthur’s entire self sank. He faked a laugh, “Surely…surely this is some joke Merlin, a-a trick? It can’t have been, you made that thing appear earlier. It’s only been a few months. I think that…”

However Arthur knew already that this was a different world. He knew by the way Merlin’s posture slouched as he said those words that the truth was even worse.

Merlin turned to face Arthur. “1500 years”, Merlin whispered. “Give or take a day”, he grinned lightly.

Arthur’s heart hammered. He had misheard surely? But the look Merlin gave Arthur broke him.

“Merlin…” was all Arthur could say. Merlin stood there and gave the barest hint of a smile. Arthur didn’t waste another second. He strode to where Merlin stood and embraced him. He took his head in his hands, letting it rest on his chest, whispering, “It’s alright” his voice intermittent with pain. 

Merlin’s tears were falling as he heard the ‘thump thump’ of Arthur’s heart. He clung to him, letting the ache and pain that had shriveled him up for centuries fly away with just that simple sound. Arthur was here. Flesh, alive, holding him. That is all that mattered.

Arthur rubbed Merlin’s hair gently, he was worth his tears and so much more because as they held each other in the quickly darkening night, they didn’t know how long they stood together. Time for them would always be a fickle thing. For this moment, to both of them, felt like a thousand years. The minutes they embraced lasted an eternity.


End file.
